- Inc. Online
- ABC's The View From the Bay
Clever Parents.com
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And Finally! Yes, The Women’s Line
Chief Mom Officer, Laura reports, “This line muses me to look deeper into the products and services we utilize on a daily basis. It’s always been important to our family to use eco-friendly materials in our homes and in/on our bodies, all while teaching our children to give back to the earth. Every one of these pieces is a little treasure. When I look at the details and imagine this handmade product being woven by someone around the world, it makes me smile and proud to wear such a beautiful piece. We will be Indigenous customers for life.”
Bamboo Tank, Style 1601, in Onyx/Peacock
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This piece is intricately woven and has the utmost detail on the bottom edging all the way around. It was fitted in a medium, so if you don’t like it too fitted in the hip area, you might want to go up a size. The Peacock color is a vibrant blue and small touch at the top is a perfect marriage to this everyday-wear black tank. MSRP $88.00 |
Feather Blouse, Style 1602
| We reviewed this is the onyx/mix, which is an all over black with multi-colors on the bottom. This is Chief Dad, Kent’s favorite piece in the Women’s line. It fits divine and flares like a tunic over a tiny pair of Capri pants. It’s lightweight, whimsical and sexy. This has a very plunging neckline and back, with the correct foundations, it’s divine. It’s extremely roomy and you may want to go down a size. MSRP $82.00 |  |
Tea House Cardigan, Style 1610 in Marble Color
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Think zen, tea and meditation, all over comfort. Slipping into this little piece is like heaven. It fits snuggly, like a shrug, but longer in length with a one-button closure. The marble color is perfect to pair with jeans, light pants as seen below or over your yoga clothes. |  |
| Chief Mom Officer, Laura wears it daily to sport her wee ones about, and she looks so pulled together with this trendy little topper. MSRP $110.00 | ||
Daisy Top, Style 322 in Waterfall Color
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Breezy is the best way to describe this piece. It’s lightweight, very comfy and roomy, so go down a size if you are uncertain. It has such detail; you have to wonder how long this took to knit the intricate little treasure. Waterfall is a light blue color and is perfect for this Spring season with a light pair of linen pants or crisp white shorts. This is piece you’ll reach for over and over b/c it is so soft. MSRP $76.00 |
Short Sleeve Henley, Style 430 in Shell/Mocha Color
| This is a very classy piece. It’s a little thicker of a weave much like the tea house cardigan and is very appropriate for work with some mocha slacks or dressed down with some cargo shorts. We love the combo of Shell and Mocha and the slits on the ¾ sleeves hit just right. While classy, we think it has a little sex appeal here too with the v-neck and slits on the sides. Another piece you’ll wear over and over again! MSRP $82.00 |  |
The Pogo Stick Polo, Style 543 in Papaya/Almond
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A rare find. Like the men’s short sleeve polo, this is a one-weave knit and very light and forming to your body. A great piece for the South as you can reach for it all year round. The details are fantastic. It features details on the back of the shoulders, the inside neck is striped in the almond and the fit is fantastic. Chief Mom Officer has this in a small, rather than a medium and fits very comfortable and forming. The material is like silk and the cap sleeves make is sporty, yet it’s details can be taken out to dinner, as we find this number a little sexy too. $82.00 |
| And lastly, a couple of lifestyle images from their line to show you some other options. As you browse the site, take time to think about how your purchase is helping people around the world hone their craft and earn a fair wage for their families. While Indigenous is available at numerous specialty boutiques and resorts nationwide, it’s also available in select mainstream stores such as Dillard’s, Whole Foods, and REI. Keep it Green and Enjoy! Preview the Fall line and sale items at: http://www.indigenousdesigns.com/ |
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Their Story
Fashion Trends Come and Go, but for Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds the founder’s of Indigenous, the vision to style the world in organic, fair trade fashion was founded over thirteen years ago. Back in 1993 on a trip to South America, Scotty encountered the priceless beauty of the local artisans. The richness of the culture and amazing knitting techniques prompted him to bring back more than a souvenir to his Northern California home. He returned with a vision to pioneer a new business model that would invite each of us to wear our commitment to the people and environment.
Scotty and Matt have helped form a scalable artisan network through Indigenous, the artisans from around the world, and most importantly you, the customers.
They are committed to:
- Supporting and preserving fair trade wages and artisan cooperatives
- Investing in natural and organic fibers and environmentally-friendly dyes
- Spreading the beauty of handmade, eco fashion
Philosophy
Knitting in many cultures is a time-honored tradition that has significant cultural meaning and purpose but sometimes does not yield the financial rewards that it should. They are proud to be part of the partnership which continues to elevate knitting and hand looming artisan cooperatives in some of the poorest regions of South America.
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They allocate more of their production cost to the artisan than typical conventional textile companies. This means the artisan makes a fair, living wage as high as 3x what they might earn working independently.In addition, they partner directly with non-governmental organizations and others that provide training, educational materials, and equipment that otherwise could not be afforded. Many partner organizations also offer no interest assistance loans in these communities. They place great value on their partnerships with artisans and the traditional knitting skills of their community. There are now over 300 artisan groups as part of our highly skilled production network. |
The Line
Drum Roll please……. We know what you are all thinking. These must be very ethnic, heavy knitted pieces. It’s Spring/Summer right? This was my first impression when reading about the line too. Contrary to the first images in your head, these are lightweight, colorful and wearable pieces. We reviewed a few pieces from the Spring 2008 line. Here are our comments:
The Kids Line
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Adorable and well-priced. Here is the Kids Havana Shirt, Style 1520. We have it in Sky/Sky Stripe and paired it with the Latte, Style 1564-Latte Check pull on pant. |
| Too cute and nice and cool for the Texas weather. We felt the pieces are well-made, have intricate detail and seemed comfortable as seen below on Chief Pre-Schooler Cooper. $44.00 MSRP for each piece. |  |
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We also had the opportunity to review the Cargo short, Style 1565 in Jamaica Stripe. We think these are hip and they have such detail on the buttons and finishing. The Stripes look great with a crisp white t-shirt and flip-flops. MSRP $44.00 |
The Men’s Line
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Chief Dad, Kent reviewed the Men’s Havana shirt, style 1515. It’s just like the kid’s Havana shirt and way too cute on both of them. He reports it being hip and easy to wear. It’s very roomy and goes with some light pants or shorts. He reviewed it in the Sky/Sky as seen above in the kid’s line. MSRP $76.00 |
| Kent’s favorite piece is the short sleeve zip polo knit, style 740. He ordered it in a medium, in the crisp green color of Leaf. Chief Mom Officer, Laura adores him in this as it “is very fitting on him and he looks very confident and comfortable in the piece.” “This is a year round piece here in Texas and we see ordering it in different colors for him.” MSRP $88.00 |  |
AGENCY CONTACT: Jordan Schultz (805) 773-1000; jordan@thepressroom.com
STROLLER STRIDES CONTACT: Lisa Druxman, Stroller Strides (866) FIT-4MOM; lisa@strollerstrides.net
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Stroller Strides® Celebrates 6th Anniversary and Continued Company Growth Stroller Exercise Program Has Significantly Expanded Offerings for Moms During Short History SAN DIEGO, CA (August 13, 2007) – Stroller Strides, the largest and fastest growing exercise program for new moms, strolls into its sixth anniversary this month with over 600 locations nationwide – stellar growth for a company that started with one San Diego mom, her newborn son and a stroller in 2001. But in the past six years, Stroller Strides has stretched beyond its postnatal stroller workout program, partnering with several well-known and respected companies to offer prenatal fitness classes, free playgroups and clubs for moms, and even its own stroller. In addition, program founder Lisa Druxman released LEAN MOMMY (Center Street) this year – a resourceful book incorporating the Stroller Strides workout that guides new mothers down a healthy postpartum path. |
“It’s incredible how much Stroller Strides has grown, both in size and in the opportunities it provides for new moms,” says Druxman, a mother of two who founded the franchised fitness company after the birth of her first child. “The primary mission of the program will always be to expand healthy resources for new mothers across the country.”
Stroller Strides boasts more than 20,000 participants and has doubled in size each year since starting, making it the 17th fastest growing franchise in the country (Franchise Times Magazine, 2007) and one of the top 25 small companies to work for (Working Mother Magazine, 2006). The 60-minute class that combines a stroller walk and intervals of body toning using exercise tubing, the environment and the stroller, provides moms with a fun and effective way to get fit following pregnancy and an opportunity to bond with their babies through exercise.
In 2005, Stroller Strides partnered with BOB™ – manufacturer of popular jogging strollers and stroller accessories – to offer the ideal stroller for workouts: the Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller. The lightweight jogger maneuvers easily with a swiveling front wheel that can also be locked into place for running or off-road use. Best of all, the stroller features a special Stroller Strides Fitness Kit, complete with a handy storage console for water (or toys!), exercise tubing and even a Stroller Strides manual to assist moms in turning their routine stroller walk into a workout.
In 2006, Stroller Strides segued successfully into prenatal fitness, partnering with Fit To Deliver™ – an internationally acclaimed program designed to keep moms active during pregnancy via 60-minute classes that help them to strengthen their rapidly changing bodies and prepare for childbirth. Through this partnership, Stroller Strides franchisees have the opportunity to become trained in the Fit To Deliver program so that they can offer the prenatal classes as a complement to their ongoing postnatal Stroller Strides programs.
Early 2007 brought mothers yet another new resource: LUNA Moms’ Club Powered by Stroller Strides – a free program open to all moms that offers weekly playgroups and mom’s night out events at every Stroller Strides location. Together with LUNA®, Stroller Strides creates a supportive community for moms where they can share advice, tips, laughter, and even take on community service projects through the Club’s “Moms with a Mission” program.
In June of 2007, the many benefits of the Stroller Strides program became accessible to all moms with the launch of LEAN MOMMY, the first book to help new mothers maximize their limited free time by bonding with their baby through exercise. Authored by Lisa Druxman, the resource features guided workouts – many taken straight from the Stroller Strides program – that simply require baby, a stroller, a front pack carrier and exercise tubing. LEAN MOMMY also guides readers through healthy eating, the importance of parental role modeling, overcoming common postpartum emotional obstacles and more.
“Our goal is to provide moms with every opportunity to be happy and healthy in motherhood,” says Druxman. “We’ve made great strides so far, and look forward to even further expansion of this mission in the years to come.”
Stroller Strides classes are offered in more than 600 locations nationwide. The hour-long classes emphasize cardiovascular activities and muscle-strengthening exercises using resistance bands and strollers, allowing moms to interact with their babies throughout their workout. Stroller Strides franchises are available for those interested in a home-based, family-friendly business. To further assist mothers in all aspects of their lives, Stroller Strides partners with Stride Rite®, LUNA®, Babystyle® and BOB™. For more information about Stroller Strides, including class locations, visit www.strollerstrides.com.
Read more about Stroller Strides (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
For more information on Lisa Druxman or to set up a media interview, please contact On the Horizon Communications at (805) 773-1000 or email jordan@thepressroom.com.
Lisa Druxman is the founder of Stroller Strides, the stroller exercise program for new mothers and their babies found in over 600 national locations. A pre-and postnatal fitness expert and certified personal trainer, Lisa holds a master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in exercise adherence and weight control. Lisa is an active member on the board of the Postpartum Health Alliance, has authored multiple articles that have appeared in national parenting and fitness magazines and has appeared on a host of major national television programs, including NBC’s Today Show and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360. She is currently Entrepreneur Magazine’s resident columnist on “Mompreneurs.”
There was once a time when most people had the phone numbers of their friends and family in their head, they just remembered them. For the numbers they didn’t use very often they had a nice address book or rolodex near their phone. In today’s world it seems as though no one really knows anyone’s phone number anymore. We have everything stored in our cell phones. Personally I don’t know anyone’s number without my phone, my parents moved away from my childhood home thus negating the only phone number I had memorized. How sad is that?
With this sort of reliance on our phones, what happens when you are permanently separated from your phone? Some people have smart phones which are able to sync with a computer. The problem here is that most people don’t ever actually sync up their two devices. They have good intentions, but it never actually happens. Think about how much information you would lose if your phone was suddenly unavailable to you. Does it scare you? It scares me!
What you need is a plan that makes syncing part of your life. Almost all smart phones are able to sync with Outlook. Even if you don’t ever use Outlook, set up the relationship between your device and the program on your computer. If you don’t know how, go to your mobile carrier’s website and look for the documentation needed. Once you have set up this relationship, the two devices will need to “meet up” in order to exchange information. If you spend most of your day at a desk, consider charging your phone with your computer. Most smart phones can be charged with a USB cable. If you only charge up via your computer, then you will be insured of syncing at least once a week.
If you don’t spend your day at your desk, consider setting a reminder on your phone to sync once a week. Make the reminder at night when it is less likely that you will be too busy to do it.
Not a reminder person? Look into syncing remotely. MailStreet is a good software to try out, they even have a 30 day free trial. This is also great for the person who doesn’t have a smart phone but still needs a back up.
Have you ever wanted something so badly that you sabotaged your own efforts? Several months ago, my son set a personal goal to qualify for a big championship swim meet in the 50 and/or 100 yard butterfly. This particular swim meet is one of the highest level swim meets that a 9 year old can compete in. And in fact, he would be competing in a 10 and Under age group, meaning most of the swimmers would be 10 years old.
Last August we realized that Brandon was getting close to qualifying for this Northwest Age Group Championships. The meet is held every March and for young swimmers, its quite a coup to get to go. Knowing he is so young and would have another year to qualify for this particular meet in the same age division, we weren’t too concerned about taking him to this meet. Brandon, however, desperately wanted to go. He wanted to go so badly that he talked of little else. He believed he was good enough and fast enough and therefore he should be there. He wanted to not only qualify at age 9, but also compete. While Brent and I struggled with whether or not we’d actually take Brandon to the meet, Brandon was mentally putting all kinds of pressure on himself to reach his goals as quickly as he could. Brandon actually has another year to qualify for this meet and will hopefully qualify in more than one event. Dare we even be crazy enough to consider taking him all? Do we travel 500 miles for a 35 second event? I won’t dive into that controversy right now.
The October meet came and Brandon dropped a little over a second in his 50 yard fly, making him less than one second away from qualifying. He then swam at the Boise Thanksgiving Invitational swim meet in November and dropped another 3/4th of a second. That put his time within 5/100ths of a second away from qualifying. 5/100th. How crazy is that?
I can tell by the way Brandon swims if he is tense and nervous and putting far too much thought into his swims. How can I convey to him the importance of being relaxed and staying calm? He disagrees with my assessments, but I know that he is basically psyching himself out. The next two meets he added time and was nearly beside himself. I tried to comfort him, but only his peers could effectively offer him the support he needed. And I’m okay with that. At that point in time, none of his peers had qualified for the meet and they fully understood his frustrations. As a parent its easy to see the bigger picture of him waiting until next year when he’s older, more mature, physically bigger and hopefully qualifying for more than one event, but Brandon would have none of that kind of talk. He did not want to hear it. In his mind he should be there.
And the reality is that we (his coaches, Brent and I) can all see that he’s capable of making the times. He’s letting his fears and anxiety get in the way. And at nine years old, how dare I expect otherwise? On January 12, 2008, Brandon got his first qualifying time. I must admit I was unbelievable excited; almost in a crazy swim mom kind of way. I can still see him getting out of the pool so calm and collected as if to say “I do this all the time, what’s all the fuss?” And there I am, holding the video camera shaking like a leaf, trying to adjust my eyesight to read the scoreboard and then try to remember what the qualifying time is. When trying to register his times at the end of the race that day I drew a blank. Brandon didn’t. He knew it and it felt good.
In February, Brandon had one last meet before the deadline of qualifying for events. Since he had already made one time, he was able to mentally stay calm and relaxed. The stress of qualifying was over and he swam like a champ. That weekend he not only dropped time in all of his events, he also qualified for the 100 yard fly as well. With qualifying times, we decided we would take him to Seattle.
Knowing what you want and what need to reach your goals are important. Understanding the steps and the path to your victory is an absolute must. So do yourself a favor; when you know what you want, relax, stay calm and keep moving forward. You will get there!
Swim on my friends!
Ruthie
How did it all begin? My love of jewelry has its origins in my grandparents’ basement.
My maternal grandparents lived in a little bungalow in St. Paul, Minnesota, for their entire married lives. In addition to the regular accumulation of belongings that comes with living somewhere for a long time, they were collectors and savers.
My grandmother collected spoons from various tourist destinations around the world. She also collected ceramic animals, vases, toys, books… you name it. And they saved everything. This was an ingrained habit after living through the Great Depression. Along with spoons and ceramic animals, their house was crammed with tin foil balls, rubber bands, trays from T.V. dinners and other bits of daily life that they could not throw away. This was before recycling was available.
One of their best collections was in the basement. In a dark corner, near my grandfather’s overflowing desk, was a small shelving unit. The shelves were filled with jewelry boxes. The boxes contained treasures from many different eras. Somehow, my grandmother had managed to save her own collection of costume jewelry and everyone else’s collections, too. The boxes that weren’t her own came from her daughter (my mom), Aunt Camilla (her sister-in-law), and mysteriously, my grandmother on the other side of the family, my dad’s mom, Ruthe.
I spent hours poring through these boxes. Aunt Camilla’s jewelry was beautiful. It was a sparkling selection of paste necklaces, clip-on earrings, pins and bracelets, organized by color. Pink was in one box, yellow in another, and so on. My mom’s collection from her teens and twenties was a 1950’s and 60’s sampler of bright plastic baubles. She also had many rhinestone animal pins, for the demure college girl to wear with her little cardigan sweater. Of course, these pins have come back into current fashion with a vengeance.
I have since inherited these wonderful boxes. I wear the necklaces often, and contemplate converting the clip earrings to pierced. I have loaned the elaborate paste necklaces and bracelets to friends for weddings and black tie events. They are very glamorous.
Are you inspired to go vintage with me? No Aunt Camilla? No worries. There are tons of jewelry designers who are using vintage components in their handmade pieces. You can also hit estate sales, thrift stores and garage sales to find your treasure.
Here are places to find vintage and vintage-inspired pieces on the web:
Want to go glam with your vintage look? Check out1OfMyKind Vintage Filigree Jewelry by Jody McGill:
Incorporate vintage-inspired pieces into your everyday look, with Jennifer Rydin Designs:
http://www.JenniferRydinDesigns.etsy.com
And for the real thing, you can visit Absolutely Vintage, Designer and Collectible Jewelry:
http://www.absolutelyvintage.net/
There you go, Bling Mama readers. Have fun, and Go Vintage!
Susannah Kyle owns Ruby and Lola Jewelry http://www.rubyandlola.com, which features original necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Each piece is designed and handmade by Susannah. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her amazing daughters and husband, a dog, two cats and her vintage jewelry collection.
As a consequence, flowers have developed a variety of methods, both extravagant and ingenious, to make themselves appealing, each in its own unique way.
I have little doubt that you’re already making the connection here. If you (and your business) are the hollyhock, and your potential client is the bee, what are you doing to both attract and reward your “insect visitors?”
Here are 5 fresh tips for doing just that:
Tip 1 - Be Authentic
In a service business, you are the “product.” The most attractive thing you have to offer is your genuine self. So learn to respect and reveal the whole you, warts and all (figuratively speaking). If you’re inclined to be soft-spoken, then be soft-spoken. If you tend to make goofy jokes, then make your goofy jokes. Most people can spot insincerity or artificiality right away, so it doesn’t do you any good to pretend to be something you’re not. And those people who see and appreciate your natural style will make the best clients for you anyhow. Let the rest find another flower to pollinate.
Tip 2 - Make It About Them
Sometimes in our determination to convince a prospect that what we’ve got to offer is a great thing, we chatter on non-stop about ourselves and our services. Now, I don’t know about you, but any conversation where the other person is pretty much doing a monologue about themselves is totally boring to me. So rather than telling them what you have to offer, ask them what their challenges are, what they’re needing. Go into the conversation with the agenda of being curious and learning more about them. Then you’ll be able to determine if you and your services are the flower they’re looking for.
Tip 3 - Give Them What They Want
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The one thing your clients want more than anything else is to know that you understand them and the problem or challenge they’re facing. And that you have an effective solution for them. So take the information you discovered about them (using Tip 2) and let them know how you can help them with their specific issues and challenges.
Tip 4 - Develop Expertise
Professional development is what enriches your “nectar” and makes it so rewarding for your clients. Continue to expand your expertise so you can offer new and worthwhile services, programs and knowledge to them. It’s going to help you stand out from the crowd as well as keep you fresh and interested in your business.
Tip 5 - Stay in Touch
Effective marketing is about letting people know what you do –and how it benefits them– over and over and over again. It’s about staying visible so when a potential client experiences the particular problem you solve, they remember you. It’s true, you don’t want to pester people; that will turn them off. But finding creative ways to stay in touch gives you the opportunity to be visible to prospective clients in a genuine way.
Tip 6 - Add Value
Always give them a bit more than they expect. Make the time they spend with you (in session, at your website, reading your articles, wherever) worthwhile. This can be as simple as when a hotel puts a chocolate on the pillow (I just love that!), or in your case, answering an email request with a personal phone call, or adding a 6th tip when you’ve promised them five. When potential clients receive something of value from you, like the bees, they’re sure to make repeat visits.
Let me finish by saying that the relationship between bees and flowers isn’t a one-way street. Even though it’s the flowers that do the “attracting,” they’re offering the bees a pretty precious commodity in the form of nectar, something essential for the reproduction of the bees’ offspring.
By the same token, even though it’s you who’s looking to draw in new clients, keep in mind that you are giving them a precious commodity in the form of your expertise. Deliver your service with confidence and integrity and you’ll be all the buzz with your clients!
©2008 Helen Graves
Helen Graves, Grand Poohbah of Crackerjack Marketing, helps lighten the marketing load for solo entrepreneurs. Get her free audio seminar, “7 Quick & Simple Ways to Get Your Website Working Hard–So You Don’t Have To” at www.crackerjackwebsites.com